Breaking the Habit
by Savior 8801
Summary: What if Takata had stepped up as Rachel's dad earlier? What if he had granted her the best education available? Rachel and Ivy met up as teenagers in private school. Starts as Skimmer/Ivy, then Rachel/Ivy. Finally picked it up again, at long, long last.
1. Skimmer's prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Harrison's characters. "Breaking the Habit" is an intellectual property of Linkin Park

(Skimmer's POV)

_Clutchg my cure, I tightly lock the door_

_I try to catch my breath again_

_You all assume, I'm, safe here in my room_

_Unless I try to start again..._

* * *

Silence.

That was all I heard; dead silence, without anything but the sound of my own breathing to disturb it. I hated it. I was used to being with someone, anyone. I just couldn't stand being alone. Yet here I was, alone, lying on my bed, with only my thoughts to keep me company. It was driving me nuts

_You just don't appreciate what you have until you lose it._ I thought, glancing around the now-empty space, still feeling the last traces of the earlier turmoil in the air.

This morning, at an ungodly hour for a Saturday morning, Ms Withers and two security guards had come knocking, asking for my roommate, Amanda. One of our fellow students had been found passed out in one of the girls' restroom, in severe brimstone overdose, said brimstone having apparently been provided by Amanda. So my wannabe drug lord of a roommate was expelled without a chance for appeal, leaving me in dead silence, and, more importantly, without a readily available blood source.

Not that Amanda had been the greatest catch I'd ever pulled; pretty, in a kind of bookish way, brown eyes, mousy hair, and average height. Nothing was profoundly wrong with her, she was just… lackluster. Everyone in school left me feeling that way, so I just didn't bother with quality anymore, just willingness. That wasn't hard to find, considering I came from a thousand year-old bloodline and my favor was usually much sought after. Humph. As if they thought a teenage crush on my part would endear my family to theirs. Losers.

So, fast, easy and cheap was my rule, sometimes just blood, sometimes sex and blood, although lately, I hadn't even bothered with sex. It's fairly easy to find a female blood partner, but not one who is willing to share her body has well as her blood, not with another woman, anyway. And whenever I did manage to find one, she usually couldn't satisfy me as well as I wished. No matter who I ended up with, I was the dominating one, just like that, almost out of principle. No challenge, no satisfaction, just… emptiness. I kept trying, though, if only to keep my bloodlust at bay. Amanda had at least been good for that. She didn't say no, not to sharing blood, anyway. Given a little time, we might have amounted to something together…

I scoffed at the thought. _Get real, Skimmer. No matter how hard you try, you won't find anyone like _her._ Not amongst the living._

I had been fifteen the first time my master, Nathalie, had taken me to her bed. In human society, that would've made her a pedophile, but because of the first stirrings of my bloodlust, in vampire society, I was considered an adult. That is the sign any dead vampire must wait for before taking an active interest in any of their living kin. It was my luck that it came early for me. God, I had never felt alive before then, and in those months since my parents sent me away I hadn't felt anywhere as good as with her.

They said it was for the best, that I was growing addicted to her, that it was too early for me to be in such a relationship with an undead, but still, being away from Nathalie left me feeling hollow. The damage was already done, and nothing could erase it. No one who was never touched by a master vampire could understand the heights of passion I had experienced, and thus couldn't even come close to reaching them, let alone help me reach them.

A soft moan escaped me. Just thinking about those short months I had spent with her was enough to set my body tingling in the remembered ecstasy of our first night together; the softness of her silk sheets beneath me, the sliding sound they made as I writhed on them, the gentleness of her hands as they caressed my naked skin, then her sudden roughness, her weight pressing me down, pinning me. The scars on my neck, my arms, my thighs, my whole body roared to life as I recalled the sensation of her long, long fangs sliding easily in me, icy though they invoked heat and passion like no other…

"Shit." I swore out loud as I rolled out of bed, half walking, half stumbling into the bathroom, my whole body flushed and aching with need and craving. I ran the shower as cold as I could, and, barely taking time to shrug off my robe, I stepped into the icy spray. How the water didn't sizzle in contact with my skin is completely beyond me. My breath escaped me in a gasp, and I crumpled in a tangled mess of limbs. I lay there for a minute, an hour, a lifetime, two… I didn't know. I just lay there, letting the water fight off the burning craving in me. Nothing else could; I didn't even have a half-decent partner, so I couldn't slake my bloodlust, and masturbation just couldn't touch this need that plagued me. I know; I've tried.

Eventually, I managed to pull myself to a somewhat upright position, my arms around my shins and my forehead resting on my knees, my blond hair framing my face in long, messy tendrils. The heat had receded some, but was still potent, and my body still shook slightly with need. I felt weak, sick, frustrated and angry.

"If this is supposed to be healing, I'd rather be sick." I mumbled, miserable. It wasn't the first time I'd had one of these outbursts of lust. I'd been having them since my first week here, and they kept getting worse the longer I stayed.

"Just ride it out, Skimmer, just ride it out." My voice sounded horribly like a sob. I kept repeating those words like a mantra, rocking myself back and forth while waiting for the icy water to finish cooling me off. I drifted off, and again my thoughts took me back to that unbelievable night.

It was the first time I'd ever been bitten and also the first time I tasted the mix of gentleness and rough domination that was all Nathalie. I distinctly remembered the feeling of her fangs, embedded in my flesh for a too-short eternity, slowly pulling out of me. My throat throbbed in time with my pulse. She ran a gentle tongue time and again over my broken skin, lapping up my blood and wrenching choked sobs of pleasure from me. Her voice soothed me, told me it was all right as my body shook with a passion it could scarcely contain. Her lips found mine, the taste of my blood riding the kiss, stirring desires I couldn't yet understand.

"Mine. All mine." She whispered, her black eyes staring into mine, striking me to the depths of my soul. I knew in that moment that she was right; I was hers, body and soul. And I knew what she wanted me to do.

She pulled my head into the hollow of her neck, stifling my meager protests, my idiotic fear born in ignorance. "Shhh. Don't think, my love. You know how to do this, even if you never have. Just let your body go." A delighted cry came from her as instinct took me over for the first time and my small fangs pierced her skin. She was right; I did know how to do this. Strong, bitter undead blood flooded my mouth, and an intoxicating feeling like electricity traveled through my body. I sucked greedily on the wound, pleasure pooling in me, both under my skin and in my mind, and I found that the more I pulled, the more satisfaction I felt coming off Nathalie, until we both screamed in climax and she pulled me away from her neck, savagely kissing me.

"This really isn't helping…" I muttered, mentally chastising myself for reliving those intense moments. The heartache still lingered; I missed her, more than anyone, more than my friends, more than my mother, more than my father and brothers.

Still, the water had done its job; I was frozen to the bone, and all of my earlier lust was gone as I stepped out of the shower stall. I dried myself off and walked out of the bathroom to get dressed. As bad as it was, it was better to have my outburst happen now than later. Ms Withers was supposed to bring along my new roommate in the next hours, some new girl from Cincinnati I really didn't care about; probably just another Amanda in a long string of Amandas. It really wouldn't do to be drooling all over her.

I chose a crisp white blouse and jeans from my dresser, as well as underwear. Comfy cream-colored boots went at my feet. I felt more in control of the aching emptiness now that I was clean and dressed, almost back to normal. I sprayed air freshener to erase all traces of my breakdown, then went to the small kitchen area to make coffee, half out of genuine desire for caffeine, half out of hope the rich smell would further help cover whatever the spray missed. A sigh escaped me. This was ridiculous. Everyone in school thought I was this great confident and strong girl with a bit of a kinky side, an easy laugh who never lets anything bother her. A façade, all of it is just a façade, and the simple thought of Nathalie is enough to tear it down.

I sat for a long time with a cup of coffee in front of me, thinking about my family, my life before this empty shell of an existence. My father was a descendant of a thousand years old European bloodline started by Nathalie, and so looked up to her. My mother came from a lesser, American bloodline, one of the oldest in this part of the world. Since my father's name was the greater, my brothers carried first his name then my mother's. As the third child, I took my father's name and, thus, was considered a member of his bloodline, not my mother's. Three children is an unusual number in a vampire family, with its average of two kids, one for each bloodline, but my parents went one further and even had another son after me. My life had been rather typical for an upper class young vampire; I went to school, made friends, gossiped about this and that, learned to dance… Even today, dancing is one of the few things I truly enjoy.

A normal childhood, up until a fateful night when, during a dance lesson I felt the first rumblings of bloodlust and found not my mother waiting for me outside but my master.

A knock on the door brought me back to the present. My coffee was cold, and I realized over an hour had passed.

"Dorothy? Dorothy, are you there?" Ms Withers' voice rang through the door, and I rolled my eyes at her use of my birth name.

"Just a minute." I answered before straightening my clothes and my hair. I walked to the door, took a breath and opened it…

…only to have my breath catch in my throat.

In the door frame stood two women, one Ms Withers, a severe looking older woman with light brown hair pulled in a tight bun. Of course, the witch wasn't the one shocking me this way.

She was tall, easily 5'8'', lean and beautiful. Her complexion was that of a ghost, pale alabaster skin almost shining in the afternoon sun. Her dark, raven colored hair fell almost to her trim waist. She was clad in tight fitting jeans that clung wonderfully to her long legs, and her black top suggested the small, perfect breasts under it. Her face was a smooth oval, her features delicate. And her eyes… God, I could drown in them. Almond shaped and a deep, liquid brown, they lent the rest of her face an oriental quality that made her look exotic, but, not only where they exquisite to look at, they held a dangerous intensity that set the pit of my stomach clenching.

That was the first time I laid eyes on Ivy Tamwood.


	2. Ivy's prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Harrison's character. "Breaking the Habit" is an intellectual property of Linkin Park

A/N: Sorry for the long wait in updating, but this chapter really didn't want to be written. Probably a disapointing one, but I hope futur chapters will be better.

_Memories consume, like opening the wound_

_I'm picking me apart again..._

* * *

(Ivy's POV)

_Fear of planes officially sucks._ I thought as each of my breaths brought in me the scent of fear.

I'm not afraid of flying; as a living vampire, I'm nearly impossible to kill definitely, and it would take a very nasty crash to end my first life, let alone both of them. That doesn't mean fear of planes isn't a pain; sitting close to someone who reeks of fear, even baseless fear, for hours really sets me on edge. It doesn't help that I haven't taken blood in several days. The morning I'd spent with Kisten today would be the last in two years, and I didn't want to spoil those moments with my more savage needs. Still, I knew this would be a long flight the instant my fingers started to ache with the need to touch someone. Bloodlust… god, I hate that feeling. Almost as much as I love to sate it.

Looking at me, you wouldn't guess I felt as wound up as a high tension wire; I was slumped in my seat, eyes closed, head tilted comfortably backward against the headrest. My huge headphones covered my ears, blaring Takata's music from my CD player, volume cranked up so I couldn't hear the rapid heartbeat of a very scared, and honestly very irritating, were. That helped control my instincts, but there was little I could do about the smell of fear and musk he pumped into the air, making the predator in me come alive.

_God, you're pathetic. Practicing vamp for four months now, and already you can't endure your hunger for a few hours. Keep it together! _I thought angrily as I felt my eyes dilate behind my closed lids. Berating myself didn't help either. Right now, I'd just about kill for a glass of…

"Miss, do you need something?" The voice that broke trough the pounding music was accompanied by a soft touch on my arm. I slowly opened my slightly (I hoped) dilated eyes to find a flight attendant leaning over the empty seat next to me. She smelled like a norm, and reacted as such as she realized what it was she had touched. I could almost hear her thinking _vampire_ as she backed up. Her swallow sounded incredibly loud even through my headphones, and fear started seeping from her pores, only adding what was already pumped in the air. "Miss? Do you need something?" Her voice was now thick with terror as she repeated her demand, habit taking over when rational thoughts failed.

_Besides your jugular in my mouth? _"Orange juice, please." I answered in a completely neutral voice, although the images running trough my mind would probably have her running in fear and locking herself in the cockpit. I'd never bitten a girl before, but I felt far from choosy right now. And that beautifully pristine skin that would just feel so good under my… _Dammit, snap OUT OF IT!_

She nodded and left with more haste than was polite, or prudent for that matter, but I was beyond caring. It took most of what I have to quell the rise in my bloodlust that the cloud of fear she left behind caused, but at least having spooked her got me my drink fast; I think she was in no hurry to find out if I wanted something more iron-rich to drink. I inhaled deeply over the small glass of juice, the rich citrus scent helping calm my instincts. Don't ask why, but citrus covers everything to a vampire's nose, and drinking it calms the bloodlust; I don't know why, but it works, and I am completely hooked on it.

_At least this addiction doesn't make me feel like an animal._ I thought as my eyes lingered over the empty seat besides mine, a gift from my father. An empty seat next to me in the first class section gave me as much space as I could hope for on a plane filled to capacity, but it was also a painful reminder that the whole point of this trip was to try and fix myself, or at least gain some control over my bloodlust. Hopefully, the distance with my master vampire would help me find some way to deal with the savagery I was capable of when taking blood. Although some dark part of me deeply enjoyed the brutal and savage fulfillment that came with it, I hated hurting someone to get it.

_It's what _HE _wants… He wants me to be like that._

He being Piscary, the master vampire my family looked up too. The one who showed me the depths of pleasure and passion I could find in my bloodlust, the same one who made sure only he could sate it and stay alive, or at least not limp for a week afterwards. That's what the bastard wants, the way he likes it; that I be savage with him and come begging to him for fufilment after I hurt someone, shamed and broken.

Kisten, however, was the exception to the rule; I managed, somehow, to keep my bloodlust in check with him, but I still felt like I was using him, even if he said it was all right afterwards. How can it be all right when I basically get feral on him and claim to love him after? Maybe that for some vampires, blood is passion, but for me it's only an animal need, an addiction that feels too good to deny, even when it leaves me feeling dirty and hating myself. I'd probably feel better if I could let him reciprocate, but his own bloodlust had yet to awaken, and the idea of taking my blood in exchange for his didn't appeal to him in the slightest.

I downed the glass like an alcoholic downs his first drink of the day. I'd miss him, more than I could admit to myself. I cared about him deeply, even if I never had a choice not to be with him, since we had been engaged since the moment of his birth, a few months after mine. We were meant to be together and prolong our families' bloodlines; feelings didn't really enter the equation, but that was hardly a reason to complain. I could have gotten worse than Kisten. Smooth, beautiful, delicious Kisten…

_Dammit!__ Are we there yet?_

* * *

Don't ask how I managed to stop myself from slaughtering someone before we landed; I just did, even though, as I waited for my luggage, I felt like I'd been in a nasty fight I'd just barely survived; forcing the bloodlust down without sating it causes almost physical pain and a deep exhaustion. The airport was a definitive improvement over the tight confines of the plane, although the air was still charged with stress, exhaustion, frustration, anger… it's official, I hate traveling.

People still unconsciously gave me a wide berth, possibly because my eyes still hadn't constricted and I was still partly vamping out; it's not something vampires do consciously, but sometimes our predatory nature just… surfaces. Even though we still look human, there's just no way to mistake us for humans; were faster, more graceful, often downright terrifying even though our sex-appeal goes through the roof. To other species, it often feels like we steal the warmth from the room, yet as much as they want to look away, they can't. One look can steal someone's breath away, can terrify as easily as seduce, so really, it's no surprise I had no trouble getting out of the airport. There are some perks to vampirism after all.

I stepped outside, snapping my sunglasses over my eyes against the hot California sun. The air felt different this close to the ocean; I had always lived in-land, and the salty breeze felt wonderful and calming. The sun helped too, since it suppressed my vampiric traits and instinct, so much so that I was I was finally able to bottle everything back up and pretend I was a normal teenager and not a half out-of-control predator who could snap at any second. Avoidance and self denial are rules to live by in my world…

There was a woman waiting for me next to a black car. She called out to me the instant her eyes found me, and I answered with a nod.

"Ms Tamwood? I'm Danielle Withers, assistant director of Everlake academy. Your mother has asked me to pick you up." She gestured to the driver, and the trunk popped open. "I hope you had a pleasant flight?"

_Don't even get me started…_ I thought as I rolled my eyes behind the shaded glasses, but I still answered positively, the lie flowing from me easily. My masks were all up, my thoughts and emotions carefully hidden behind a veneer of cool indifference.

I hoisted my luggage into the trunk easily and slid in the backseat. Ms Withers tried briefly to initiate a conversation with me, but she quickly found out I wasn't much of a talker.

"We don't often get transfers so long after the start of term, or from so far away, for that matter. Was there a particular reason for your parents to send you away?"

_A master vampire who's too intense in his interest in me? The risk of me completely flipping off and killing someone in a cloud of bloodlust?_ "I need to see new faces." I answered curtly. When I didn't offer more she dropped her attempt at conversation, and the rest of the ride was uneventful and quiet.

We quickly left the airport behind and got on the freeway. We drove for over an hour, further away from San Francisco than I thought we would, arriving at Everlake near sundown. Again, my instincts felt on the rise, but not to a dangerous point. My pupils were still contracted, but I could feel the subtle changes in my movements and body language that told me my inner vampire was on the rise. The familiar tingles in my fingers were joined by others in my small, living vamp fangs. Nothing to worry about, just my genes telling my body that I was finally into the domain of my species; the night.

"This way, please. I'll show you to your room." The witch strode past me, leaving me in a pleasant-smelling cloud of her rich, earthly scent. I'd never really been around witches, and they creeped me out. It's actually set in my genes, just like the bloodlust and the need to dominate; since dead vamps have no souls, they have no aura to protect them from the effects of magic, and therefore are much more vulnerable to its effect than other species. Evolution had inscribed a wariness of them in the very core of my being.

_Still, they smell nice…_ I thought, inhaling deeply but discreetly, committing the scent to memory. Better than the bland smell of humans or the animal musk of were. I wouldn't say I enjoyed that smell more than that of another vampire, but it's still very nice.

Everlake turned out to be a beautiful place, divided in several buildings housing classrooms, offices and habitation quarters. It was pretty big, especially considering the number of students, but the more predatory Inderlanders, weres and vamps, need their space to live in relative harmony, so the size makes sense. We walked into one of the habitation building, up several flights of stairs and into a long hallway bearing doors on each side. We stopped before one of them.

"Here we are." Ms Withers knocked. "Dorothy? Dorothy, are you there?"

"Just a minute…" A soft, melodious voice came from the other side of the door. I thought I heard a soft hint of exasperation in it. A few seconds later, the door opened.

The first thing that hit me was the smell of air freshener covering up a faint thread of lust in the air, then the potent, delicious smell of good coffee. A soft gasp brought my other senses to bear on the woman standing in the room.

She was a vampire, no doubt about it. Long blond hair framed an aristocratic, fine boned face graced with high cheekbones and a fine jaw. Her huge eyes were a deep shade of blue and long lashed, giving her a doll-like appearance, fragile and vulnerable. He skin bore a healthy tan that spoke of a fondness for afternoons on the beach. Her body was long limbed, and I guessed she stood a few inches shorter than me. As soon as our eyes meet, the small leftover of lust in the apartment became an intoxicating cloud that seeped into my lungs and set my instincts on edge. Dislike at first sight... or so I thought.

Her name was Dorothy Claymor. Soon, I would be calling her Skimmer.


	3. Chapter 1

A/N: Raise your hand if you actually remember this fic. Now, raise your hand if you actually had any kind of hope that I might continue this fic. If your hand is raised, you're either an optimist or a liar. :p

The reason why I'm dusting this off is that the plot in "Entre l'Amour et la Mort" is reaching a point where certain events I intended to explore in this fic become important. I don't want to put you guys through a "Pierce moment" (i.e: where the hell did this come from), so I pulled this out of my dark, dusty drawers at long last. Hopefully you get a decent story too.

Also, Ivy's mother's name, I believe, was never said. The one I used is made up. If I'm wrong, I'd appreciate it if you could correct me. Thanks in advance!

And, without further ado, I give you chapter one of this fic, at long last.

**Chapter one**

(Ivy's POV)

The room was a little sparse, painted in white and sparsely furnished with light colored, solid, if simple, woods. A dresser, a desk and a bed accompanied by a table was all there was in here. Still, even if it wasn't much, it was mine. The lingering smell of another vamp bothered me a lot more than the décor, but until I'd spent a few nights in, there was little I could do about that.

With worried thoughts of my new roommate in the back of my head, I began to unpack. My laptop, that I expected to be the key to my sanity so far away from all those I knew, was first, settled on the desk and hooked to the web. Then I proceeded to put away the clothes I had brought with me. I wasn't surprised I wasn't handed a uniform. There was a dressing code we were expected to follow, but this was an Inderlander school, which meant Weres, which meant developing Alpha, Beta and Omega personalities. They needed some semblance of pack identification; uniformity in clothing across the board didn't sit well with them, so the rest of us got the same exemption they did. Goodie for us.

The whole school was very adapted to our particular needs; wards that prevented uncomfortable instances between warlocks, dorm rooms large enough for vamps not to step on each other's toes, lax policies about blood-sharing, sufficiently lax rules for Weres not to feel overly constrained and get aggressive… the whole layout was well thought out and efficient.

I did wish they displayed the same thoughtfulness when it came to assigning roommates, though…

_What am I going to do about her…_ I thought with a little worry as a few grisly scenarios played out in my mind. I wasn't homophobic, but I wasn't interested either. However, neither meant her lust wouldn't affect me in the worst way, and lust after me she already did, if the cloud of desire that had come off her the instant we met was any indication. We had only one bathroom after all… I didn't want to end up painting the walls with her because she walked in on me while I was toweling.

_And even if I was interested, she's too frail. There's no way she could possibly handle me._ My fangs would definitely stay on my side of her skin. I needed someone powerful enough to dominate me physically if I was ever to slake this bloodlust that kept creeping up on me. I wasn't overly worried I could get a hook up if I wanted it. This was high school after all. No way there was a shortage of horny boys looking for one. Not a dignified way to get myself under control, but definitely a necessary one. I wasn't looking for a boyfriend, at any rate. I had Kisten back home, after all.

Tired and a little hungry for more than food, I slumped down on my bed, making a cloud of comforting, familiar scents rise and enshroud me. Kisten's was the strongest, a small, longing smile spreading my lips as it deliciously mixed with mine. Unlike teenagers of other species, vampires rarely got slapped on the wrist when caught making out or… other things, in the family home. Quite the opposite, really. My parents were quite aware of the things I did with Kisten; I think they were actually relieved that I lost my virginity to him rather than Piscary…

_Jesus, what kind of world do I live in when my parents breathe a sigh of relief while smelling that on me…_ Hell, they might have actually been happy had I been knocked up; my mother had been younger than me when she got pregnant for the first time. To have a teenage mother in vampire society was not the stigma it was in the human one. Bloodlines were important, and with a birthrate lower than any other species save banshees we took all the kids we could get; very few families managed to have more than two kids.

Another scent arose from the bed sheets, this one rousing memories that weren't quite so… heated. It was my baby sister, Erica's, scent. The four year old was prone to night terrors (well, the equivalent for a mostly nocturnal species, anyhow), the poor dear, and spent a fair bit of time in my fair sized bed. She found my scent as comforting as our mother's and father's, and during their frequent travels, had grown used to sneaking into my bed after I had tucked her in, when she couldn't sleep. Since I couldn't bring myself to wake her, and I never could get a good night's sleep on the couch (sue me, I like my comforts), I had little choice but to let her stay. She was so tiny anyway that I hardly noticed her, except when she woke up crying after a nightmare, and I wrapped her in my arms to soothe her fear. It was an odd twist of fate that the tiny girl I had comforted so many times was now the one unwittingly comforting me.

_Well, I did say I might check in... _I chewed on my lower lip a little nervously, feeling a bit weak and cowardly as I eyed my webcam-fitted laptop. Knowing my mother, she was still up and about back home, waiting for a call I had been too proud to promise I'd make. She would only assume I was out making new friends and getting used to this place if I didn't call her. She would probably be prouder of her rather quiet, socially awkward daughter if she didn't get a call from her. Yeah…

With a vaguely disgusted sigh, I got off the bed and powered up my computer, hating myself a bit for what I was doing. Mom had to work in the morning, nevermind that it was sunday, and the time difference with Cinci was not inconsiderable. It was getting late here; back home, she should be in bed, lest her latent homicidal tendencies surface and she murder some of her many less-than-competent assistants. She was the top dog of the Cincinnati division of the I.S., and while she was soft spoken when well rested, willing to give a chance to just about anyone, when sleep deprived, she could star in one of Erica's nightmare. I wonder where that particular trait of mine came from…

Still, even with the risk of first degree murder looming over her, sure enough, she was there and waiting for me when I logged in, a video link up request popping in the second I got on. With a hint of a smile playing on my lips, I accepted, and released a breath I had been holding ever since I left Cinci.

Annabelle Tamwood, Director of the I.S., Scion of the Master of Cincinnati was a freakishly beautiful woman when wearing a power suit and make up, but the version of her sitting in front of a computer half a country away, dressed in soft flannel pajamas and drinking from a mug that would look horribly out of place on her work place office, that woman was the only one whose sight of could take care of most of my worries all by itself. Her scent filled my nose, even if she was miles and miles away, and her easy, loving smile made what tension was left in me drain away. So great were her powers that even my worries at my new roommate left me, if only for a little while.

"Hey mom." I spoke quietly into the laptop's integrated microphone.

"Good evening, Honey." She answered in her usual fond manner. "Or is that afternoon for you?"

"Uh, no, it is evening. Sorry to call so late." I could tell she was tired, but fatigue didn't stop her from shushing me the instant I suggested that I'd been wrong in calling her.

"Nonsense, dear. You know I wouldn't have slept a wink anyway until I heard from you. You probably just saved what little sleep I'll get tonight by calling." She chuckled softly at her own joke, but cut herself off when she yawned deeply enough to unhinge her jaw. She eyed me warningly, as if daring me to say something, and I raised my hands in placation.

"I didn't say anything."

"Good. There's a smart girl." She took a sip from her mug and tucked her shoulder length hair behind her ear, a move I mimicked unconsciously. "How was the trip? Not too painful, I hope?"

"No, not too painful." It wasn't quite a lie; I'd made it, after all, and without killing anyone or having to be bodily restrained; in vampire terms, it had gone smoothly. "There was an airsick guy sitting a few rows behind me, but other than that, it was fine." Mom made an unconvinced sound from the back of her throat, seeing through me like I was transparent. "Okay, I might have crept out the attendant as well, but I was half asleep and she startled me first!" Fun fact about my mother, she can almost magically turn me into a guilt-ridden kid, and she probably always will, no matter how old or wise I get.

"Peace, Ivy." She calmed me down with a smile. "With my job and my other responsibilities, I know we haven't travelled a lot. It was a lot to expect from you to be able to make this trip on your own."

"I'm seventeen, mom." I shook my head, a bit disgusted with myself now that I was looking back on what had happened. My control had slipped so easily. I scoffed bitterly at that thought. No, of course it hadn't slipped. I didn't have any control to begin with. "It should have been a breeze, not… Urgh…"

"Ivy, look at me. It might not have been the smoothest ride, but I am proud of you for doing this nonetheless. You're going to be fine, I know it. Chin up, dear."

Unconvinced, I listened to her and looked up. She was looking at me with deep affection, making me believe that truly, a mother could always find it within herself to love her child, no matter how twisted or broken it was. I hardly ever felt worthy of her love these days, not when so much of me was animalistic and savage, but sometimes... sometimes I believed it. I wish I never did. It would make the inevitable falls less painful.

_No. No thinking like that. You know you can do it. You have to believe you can get this hunger under control. It's either that or first death._ If I ended up causing too much of a ruckus, no matter my station in the vampire world, I would be put down, and as agonizing as my life could be, I didn't I was brave enough to die. So I kept my head up and gathered my courage. Mom believed in me. I didn't want to disappoint her.

"That's my big girl." She smiled proudly back at the weak smile I gave her. "You know you can talk to me anytime, Ivy, about anything. Don't hesitate."

"I won't." I promise quietly, knowing that I would do my best not to need to confide in her again. "How is everyone back home?"

"We're all going to miss you." She answered, accepting the change in topics without a blink. "Your father has been really quiet all day. He has trouble accepting that you'll be fine away from us. You're growing up on him, dear, and he's taking it a little hard. As for Erica… well, I think she's taking it the hardest. I know she wasn't the most thrilling company for you, but you mean the world to her. She's been crying all day." She bit her lip nervously. "I hope you don't mind, but I allowed her to sleep in your room tonight."

"Nah, it's okay, mom." Not like she didn't do it three times a week before I left anyway… "She's really been crying?"

"Yes, poor thing. She will probably want to… Oh, speak of the devil…" She sighed suddenly, turning her head to the side towards her office's door. Very faintly, I heard the sound of tiny running footsteps coming from the mic, as well as a child's screaming...

"VV!!" My tiny hurricane of a little sister stormed the office, making my mom disappear off screen for a moment and reappear a heartbeat later, her ridiculously cute, ridiculously wiggling daughter in her arms.

"How I wish hearing developed later…" She sighed, looking displeased at my baby sister. "Rica, it's much too late for you to be up. What do you think you're doing?"

"It's VV, mommy! VV is in the computer! Hi, VV!" She tried waving at me, the motion a little weird since she was staring at my image on the computer instead of the webcam.

"Don't encourage her." My mother chastised me as I stifled a fit of giggles. What was I to do? It was priceless to see my usually collected and serene mother struggling with her armful of overexcited daughter, especially since she was many times stronger than the little one. Her senses were barely starting to develop. Her strength and speed were both a long way off reaching their full potential. "Rica, that's enough!" She demanded firmly in her "I mean business" voice (I might sound cavalier about it, but it used to chill me to the bone), which got her attention at last. "You can talk to Ivy tomorrow, okay? Daddy will show you how, I promise, but now, you should be in bed, honey."

"But VV is right there! I want to see her!" Erica's enthusiasm was in free fall. I could tell the tears and the tantrum were right around the corner. "I want to talk to VV!"

"Erica Randall, I said that's enough." She declared in a final tone, despite the huge puppy eyes Erica made at her. "It's long past your bedtime, honey. Ivy will be there tomorrow, and you can talk to her then. Now, off to bed with you."

She mouthed a quick "I'll be right back" at me, and headed off with a tearful four-year old, leaving me with a bittersweet smile on my face. Yeah, the little one loved me, with the blind devotion one might have for a sibling. She didn't have a clue how ugly the world could be, and I fervently hoped she never would. If there was a silver lining to Piscary sinking his fangs into me, it was that he hopefully wouldn't need to do the same to my little sister once she came of age.

_Maybe… Maybe that makes it worth it._

"Dear God, but she can be a pain to tuck in…" My mother sat back down after a few long minutes, looking more tired than ever despite the smile on her face. "I remember a time when you didn't want to go to bed either, so don't look so smug, young lady." She poked at me with a mischievous grin, making me smile honestly in turn.

"I was never that fussy." I protested with an incredulous chuckle. "I was always a quiet, model baby."

"Hmm, baby, yes, but as a young girl of Erica's age? No, I seem to recall quite a few tantrums when bedtime came, a few years back. Or maybe it was just my imagination…"

"Hey!"

"You know, when you and Kist had to stop playing around three in the morning, long past the time any reasonable mother would have let you? You would cry to me for the longest time, you'd cling to him, to your toys, the furniture…"

"Okay, okay, maybe I was a bit like Erica, Geez…" I was starting to blush. I mean, Dorothy was in the next room after all, and I had no clue how good or lame the soundproofing was in here… That, and she had brought up Kisten. "How is he?"

"His mother told me… he's been running in circles all day. He seems a… little lost without you. You were always the leader of your little duo." She sighed, a look of concern for the boy who was, for all intents and purposes, her unofficial son on her face. "I think he's doing all right, all things considered; your departure was just very sudden for him. You two have never been separated, after all. What about you, honey? Are you all right?"

"I'm… I'm okay, mom. Tell him I miss him already as well." I spoke quietly, an unexpected surge of emotion rising in my heart. I wasn't sure if I _loved _loved Kist, but I knew he was my best friend and I would miss him horribly.

"I'm sure you'll make new friends in no time." She said with complete confidence, despite the fact I had never been all that social or good at making friends. I could say the words, smile at the right time, laugh and make laugh, but being comfortable around someone was a rare occurrence for me. Aside from Kist and my family, I had very few friends, even before I had caught Piscary's eye. "How are you settling in? Does your roommate seem nice?"

"I guess." I answered vaguely, uncomfortable. Dorothy had been sugar sweet and helpful, even though I could feel her gaze luridly at my ass whenever my back was turned to her. Any doubt I might have had about her preferences had been short lived…

"You "guess"? Is something wrong with her?"

"No, no. She's been really friendly, I just… I don't think we… swing the same way."

"Ah." My mom said simply, clearly understanding my discomfort. Yes, most vampires swung both ways to a degree, but so far, I'd shown no sign of interest in my own gender. I couldn't fathom having any experiment with another girl. Call me vanilla (yeah, vanilla, vampire, haha. It's not because we're vamps that we can't have our eye roll inducing puns), but I just didn't feel it. "That is hardly grounds to judge her, Ivy."

"I know, I know. It's just… I think she might like me."

"Well, you are a lovely young lady, dear. Anyone can see it plain as day. It's bound to turn a few heads."

"But we just met!" I was starting to sound like a whiner, but heck, she was my mom. She always said listening to me whine was part of the job description. "And I don't remotely feel anything for-"

"Ivy, tell me something. How would you react if a boy you are not interested in had the same… reaction to you your new roommate just had?"

"I… I'd ignore it."

"Yes. You would not go off the way you are now, would you? Is it truly so different because she is a girl as well?"

"No… It's just she… I can really easily tell what she's thinking. And I'll be sharing floor space with her."

"That's our little curse Ivy. It's very hard for people to hide these things from us." Mom laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfiture. "Take it up with God if you have any complaints about your sense of smell."

"Are you making fun of me here?"

"Getting a laugh at my eldest's expense, especially when she's making a huge deal of nothing is my right as your mother, I'm afraid. Consider it payback for laughing when Erica barged in here." I groaned loudly and buried my face in my hands. So much for support. "Oh, honey, don't take it like that. Look, just give her a chance. If there's really a problem, you can ask for a room swap. I'll give the school a call, make sure your request gets through, but only if you try and honestly can't make it work. Deal?"

"Hmm… All right." I gave in after a long pause. Something about Dorothy nagged me. Those pretty blue eyes of hers were a lot older than their seventeen years, but Mom was right. She had given me little reason to run screaming away, other than her teenage-boy-esque fascination with my backside. Maybe the novelty would wear off after a while…

"Good. I'm proud of you, honey."

"You already said that." I said with a bit of a smirk. "Or did you forget?"

"I must be getting old." She sighed dramatically, and we both laughed. Yes, old and dull at thirty-three (yes, thirty-three. Like I said, Mom had me young). Not much of a chance of that happening, even when she reached eighty-three. "No, I didn't forget. I simply can't say it enou-" Something cut her off. Her eyes, even though her instincts should have been quiet and slumbering without the presence of another close, dilated fully and grew glassy. She shuddered hard for a few seconds, her head lowering and her arms wrapping around her middle. Her breathing picked up, becoming erratic and shallow.

I knew those signs. Piscary must have picked up on his Scion's thoughts of me and decided to check it out. "I love you, Ivy. Take care." She managed to get that much out before disconnecting our call, therefore sparing me the pain of seeing and hearing Piscary through her.

"Mom!" I called out uselessly after her, the pure reflex of a scared girl facing an unknown world without one of the most solid anchor she ever had. I wanted to scream and lash out, but I had no outlet for my rage. I hated him. I loved him. I wanted to rip him apart as much as I wanted to lay with him. The dichotomy killed me.

_Be tough. Be strong._ I remembered the words she had said to me, the memories of her pride and confidence in me giving me strength. Maybe it was time to face Dorothy. Hoping I wouldn't take it out on her too hard, or maybe that I would so I could blow off some steam, I stepped away from the lifeless monitor, leaving my worries about my mother behind for the moment.

(Skimmer's POV)

_I've got a crush. No, it's worse, I've got a huge freaking crush. On a girl I just met, who spoke all of ten words to me… I've got a goddamn crush! Me!_

Is it that obvious I was flabbergasted? Thought so.

After all this time searching for a girl like Ivy, there she was, delivered to me on a silver platter. I couldn't believe my luck… or how stupid I'd been, betraying myself the way I had in the seconds that followed the reveal of such a Godsend. I might have been even worse off than I thought if the simple sight of a pretty girl made me all hot and bothered that way.

_No, it's not the looks at all. Those are just a nice perk. It's the eyes._ I reminded myself, shivering as my imagination used the memory of her intense gaze to fuel my fantasies. God, what eyes she had. She was like me, a predator, a true, matured vampire. I had given up hope of ever finding one like myself.

_And I pretty much scared her off. God-fucking-damnit…_

I was sprawled across the couch, one arm thrown over my eyes, the thoughts of Ivy and the end to my purgatory she might represent buzzing through my mind. Seriously, why the hell did the one interesting girl I'd met in here have to be convinced she was straight? And why couldn't I keep it in my pants? I couldn't believe how sloppy I'd been, shock and surprise be damned. Some hunter… I'd gone rusty after so many cheap thrills.

She had retreated to her room, sealing herself and that wonderful scent of hers away from me, much to my chagrin, as soon as she could. I barely had time to give her the rundown and show her around before she shut the door in my face and left me out here, all alone with my itch to break down her door and kiss her. Truth be told, even if I got my physical reactions mostly under control, I was still bubbling with excitement. The TV I was slumped before didn't capture my attention one bit, and it was an exercise in willpower not to pace and stake out her doorway for my chance to strike. I was torn between that and banging my head against the wall for making her so uncomfortable.

_Oh, will you quit your whining? All this time you wanted a challenge, and now that you have it, you go all "woe is me, the girl of my dream likes dicks"? Snap out of it. Mopping around won't get your fangs into her neck._

I licked my aching fangs and stood up, the beginning of an idea in the back of my head. Nothing fancy, mind you, just something to help make up for our rocky start. Just an offered cup of coffee, as a friendly gesture. She was speaking to someone in her room, and I found myself listening to the cadence of her voice as I made more coffee, quietly hoping she drank it. It was lovely, very soothing, even if I couldn't, and didn't want to, make out the exact words. Most other students couldn't hear anything at all through the thick sound-proofing, but then again, most other students didn't have blood over a millennia old running through their veins. It gave me a little edge, but I wasn't that taken with her that I would want to invade her privacy. Yet.

_Rule number one of a slow hunt, Skimmer. Don't push any harder than you have to._

The coffee's scent, as well as some more freshener, helped cover up the remnants of my faux-pas lingering in the air, but it also, to my dismay, drowned out the silky threads of Ivy's scent in the air. I had my regrets, of course, but it's not like I'd never smell her again. I had to try very hard not to imagine the scent of her arousal, or that of her blood. It was quite a relief when more of it flooded the common area of our room.

"Hey." I called out to her from the kitchenette, grabbing two mugs from a small cupboard. "You want some coffee?"

"Uh, yeah." She answered me from across the room, her footsteps almost too silent for even my hearing. I couldn't tear my gaze away from those long legs of hers as she walked closer. A panther; that's what she reminded me of. A beautiful, graceful, dangerous panther. She moved the way I did when I hadn't fed for a few days, all predatory and domineering. I could have watched for hours. I could tell she was also in a maelstrom of a mood.

"Cream and milk in the fridge, if you want some." I offered, but she took a sip of her coffee before I could even finish. Black it was, then. Blech.

"Is there a problem?" I inquired after handing her the mug, without that romance movie moment where our fingers brushed and our eyes met, giving us both instant realization before a passionate kiss. I could have cried, honest… "You feel a little upset about something." Most other species were crept out when a vamp read their mood in the air, but as I expected, Ivy took it in stride.

"Nothing that concerns you, just… stuff back home." The "stuff", as it were, looked troubling enough to make her fists and her jaw clench, but she made a visible effort to relax, taking a deep, steadying breath. I sat at the table and gestured for her to join me, hoping we could strike up a conversation and get to know each other a bit, but she stayed standing, her lovely brown eyes darting everywhere but on me. She was still tense, and I toyed with the idea of giving her a shot of relaxing pheromones, just enough to take the edge off. Or maybe she'd let me give her a nice long massage…

Hey, a girl can dream. A happy-ending massage sounded great to me.

"Are we going to lance this boil or not?" I spoke up after a long, awkward silence. "I'm sorry I reacted this way to you. I can tell it made you uncomfortable. And yes, it means what you think it means. I like girls." I stated bluntly. "Now, are you going to run away screaming?" It was a gamble, but something about her told me she liked a certain straightforwardness.

"No." She answered simply, recovering almost smoothly enough for me to miss her startled look. I could almost hear her adjust her assessment of me. The question was, was I rising or dropping in her esteem?

"Okay. Are you always speaking in monosyllables, or do you do that to me only? You might as well run away if that's all you're going to-"

"What do you want from me?" She cut me off, her eyes ablaze. I could feel the beginning of an aura, an impressive feat for a vampire as young as she was. Her blood had to be at least two centuries old. As it was, however, I shrugged it off easily.

"What I truly want involves you sweaty and naked, and most importantly bleeding in my mouth. Failing that… Just a nice, friendly roomie? Pretty please?" I shook my head and chuckled. "Yeah, I want you, as will just about every guy in here. What happened earlier was an accident. Sue me, you're really beautiful, and I wasn't expecting that. Doesn't mean I'll do anything. I'm not some horny teenage boy, you know."

"No, you're a horny teenage vamp." She growled all low and threatening, looking fierce and mouth-watering. "You want to eat me once you're done. I don't think it's much of an improvement."

"You do realize that you look like you'd eat the first vagrant you'd stumble upon, don't you?" I pointed out. The aura of hunger that radiated off her was all but palpable. "Pot calling the kettle black much?"

Ivy was breathing hard at this point, and I myself was feeling a little flush. Damn, but she was infuriatingly wonderful. After all those sycophants who simply bowed to my every whim, Ivy was a breath of fresh air… or maybe an arctic breeze, if the chilling look she shot me was any indication.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She said from behind me, her speed impressive enough. Most other students would have jumped, but I had tracked easily. It was clear she was trying to intimidate me, and while she failed, I still loved the new heat that crept up into her voice, making me shiver. She was displaying that raw sensuality only a prowling vampire could summon, and I couldn't be happier to be on the receiving end of it. "If I'm not a picky eater, it means you might get a bite from me, doesn't it?"

I made a vague, pleased sound of approval, loving the things her voice did to me. "I'm not a cheap meal, though. Trust me, I'm not."

"Oh, the little girl thinks she can take on the big bad wolf, uh?" Ivy chuckled throatily, her hands coming to rest on my shoulders. "You'd be a snack, Dorothy. Nothing more." She was breathing in my ear, and I was just about melting. "You can't handle me."

"Perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss your own kind. You should know better than to judge a book by its cover." I exposed my neck to her attention, and shuddered when her lips brushed against it. Her warm breath kept washing over me as she nuzzled me, consciously avoiding my scar in a carefully tease. My breathing hitched every time she touched me. It was unbelievable. Nathalie had more skill, but after so long longing for her, Ivy felt positively heavenly. If she could just touch one…

She finally did, and even as a whimpered moan came from my throat, Ivy jerked away from me. I whipped around, only to find her pressed up against the wall, eyes black as midnight and wide with fright.

"You! Who… who the hell are you?!" She demanded from across the room. I stood up, smiling.

"You know. You know my scars. I was right." I walked slowly towards the scared vampire, my heart swollen with joy. Yes, she was truly perfect. "They're distinctive, aren't they? You can tell that they were made by undead fangs, don't you?" She was within arm's reach, and my hand rose to her shoulder, brushing away soft strands of onyx hair to expose her own neck. Sure enough, there were clean, deep marks on her skin, very similar to the ones she had just touched. "Because you have them too."

I stared into her eyes, letting whatever blue was left in mine dissolve into the color of oblivion. The scent of Ivy's fear seeped into me, deep and potent, and I quietly shushed her.

"I can give you the same thing your master did, Ivy. I know how to do it. It can be just as good, just as right. Please? Give this to me." I stood on my tiptoes, bringing my mouth level with the most gorgeous throat I'd ever seen. "Please?"

Ivy's body pressed close to mine was quivering, her fear joined with the first, delightful inklings of her desire. It was perfection, two kindred souls meeting as if it were decreed by fate. I could have wept.

… Right until the point she shoved me away, very hard.

_Note to self; Ivy might not be as fast as you, but she sure is stronger…_ I thought after the walls settled and the dizziness subsided. There was no sign of Ivy.

"Stay the hell away from me!" She snarled from her doorway just before slamming the door in my face. I dusted myself off the ground, and stared at the shut door for several heartbeats before turning away, instantly sobered by her brutal rejection. Still, I smiled a bit as I inhaled our mixed scents in the air, as well as the very clear smell of her desire.

_Oh, this is going too much fun, really._


End file.
